Binder.



No. 829,325. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906. F. A. CLEVELAND.

BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1905.

WITNESSES.- a Mg INVENTOI? 1 M BYH/s ATTOBNEYZMQZ FREDERICK A.CLEVELAND, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906..

Application filed July 7, 1905. Serial No. 268,664.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. CLEVE- LAND, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBinders, of which the following is a specTfication.

This invention relates to a device which may be applied to binders ofthe loose-leaf type, the object being to provide a device of simpleconstruction which may be used in connection with covers or binders ofthis class, which may be easily operated, and which will be positive inits action. The use of binders of this description is well understood,and it is not thought necessary to enter into an explanation oftheiroperation further than to state the principal requirement, which is thatany number of pages or leaves may be inserted, replaced, or taken outwith out disturbing the remaining leaves.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which shall meet thisrequirement and accomplish the desired result by the use of a simplelocking mechanism which does not require separate keys or other devicesto operate the same and which shall be self-contained and operated byturning the book on one side to lock the covers in any desired positionand to release the same by simply reversing the position of the book. Toaccomplish this result, I provide an upper and ower clamping-sectionwhich may be attached to the covers of the binder. Theseclamping-sections are normally held apart by the action of springscontained in telescoping members attached to said clamping-sections inthe usual manner. Attached to one of these clamping-sections, preferablythe upper, I provide a post which carries an oscillatory pawl or dogwhich is adapted to engage projections on the interior of a cooperatingpost or casting which is secured to the lower clamping-section. Thislatter post or casing is adapted to telescope over the post carrying thepawl or dog. The construction of these parts is such that when theclamping-sections and attached covers are in the position shown in thedrawings a free inward movement is permitted and the leaves are heldbetween the clamping-sections by pressing the upper cover down. The pawlor dog carried by the inner post will engage the projections on theinner surface of the outer post or casing and so hold the parts inposition.

The construction and operation of the de' vice will be more fullyexplained in connec- In Fig. 1 at l and 2 are shown an upper and i lowerclamping-section, respectively, which may be attached by any suitablemeans to the cover of the binder, or, if preferred, the coversthemselves may form the clampingsection and have a locking deviceattached directly thereto.

At 3 3 are shown telescoping members con taining springs which operatenormally to separate the clamping members 1 and 2 when not held inposition by means of the locking mechanism carried by the post 4 and thecasing 7. The operation of this locking mechanism is on the principle ofa pawl-andratchet device.

and mode of operation of the oscillatory pawl,which is so designed thatthe outer end thereof will engage projections on the interior of thecasing 7 when the covers are in one position and will drop out ofengagement with the said projections, allowing the clamping members andcovers to be separated when the same are reversed in position.

At 4 is shown a post which 1s secured to the upper clamping member 1 byany suitable means and preferably in such a manner that it may berotated in relation to said clamping member. This may be done bysocketing the post 4 in the clampin member 1 and holding the same inposition by means of an ordinary flat-headed screw, as shown in thedrawings. This screw may be secured in the post 4 by any suitable means,and by The distinguishing features of this device are found in theconstruction using an ordinary screw-driver in the slot thereof the postmay be rotated as desired. At the lower end of this post 4 is provided arecess or slot, in which is carried a pawl 5,

which is pivotally supported therein at 6.

This slot is so shaped as to provide a stop to limit the movement of thepawl, so that in one position the outer end thereof will engage theprojections on the interior of the casing 7 and in the other positionwill be out of engagement with the said projections and allow the partsto be separated.

The pawl 5 is preferably in the form of a segment of a circular diskhaving two flat sides thereof adapted to engage the walls of the slot tolimit the movement thereof, as above described. A portion of this pawlis formed with one or more projections adapted to engage correspondingprojections on the interior of the casing 7. The pivot 6 is solocatedthat gravity will operate to oscillate the pawl about this pivotas the covers are turned from one position to a reverse position. In oneofthe aforesaid positions the projections from said pawl will engage theprojections on the interior of the casing 7 and prevent the parts frombeing separated. In the reverse position the pawl will be rotated bygravity about its pivot and the above-described projections will swingout of'engagement and allow the members to be separated for the removalof leaves, replacing leaves, 800. It will be seen that when the coversare in the reversed position just referred to that the telescopingmembers 4 and 7 are free to move in and out, and when the covers arereversed the pawl will oscillate about its pivot into the positionshown, and-the projections from said pawl will engage the projections onthe interior of the casing 7, which are preferably in the form ofascrew-thread. The post 4 and the attached pawl may be rotated afterpressing the clamping members to gether, and so effect a furthertightening of the aforesaid. clamping members and insure the leavesbeing held securely in place. The casing 7 may be secured to the lowerclamping member 2 by threading the same therein as shown or by anyothersuitable means. This casing is adapted to telescope-over the post 4andhas the inner'surface thereof provided with serrations or projectionswhich are preferably in the form ofa screw-thread'or The object ofprojections of this kind has already been described.

The recess or slot in which the pawl is 10- cat'ed has the upper portionthereof so formed as to provide a stop to limit the movement of the pawlwhentlie same drops out of engagement with the outer casing when themembers are reversed, as already described. The

rear portion of this slot is adapted to form a stop to limit'themovement of the pawl in the opposite direction and to hold the same insuch a position'tha't the projections fromthe pawl will engage theprojections on the interior of'the casing 7, as already described. Inthis position the upper cover may be pressed down and will beheld in theposition to which it is somoved by the operation of the several parts,as shown.

'It will be noted that the device herein shown and described as anillustrationof an operative embodiment of my invention is composed of avery small number of parts and that such parts are of a simpleconstruetion and maybe easily and cheaply manufactured. It will be alsonoted that the device when assembled is very compact inform and that theoperating parts are selfcon tained within the same.

I do not confine myself, however, to the exact details of constructionshown and described, as it will be evident that various modificationsand changes may be made therein to adapt the device to its several useswithout departing from the scope of my in-- vention.

What I claim is 1. In a binder-lock, in combination, a pair oftelescoping members, and an oscillatory pawl or dog carried by one ofsaid members and having a portion thereof adapted to engage acooperating portion of said member'to lock said pawl in operativeposition.

' 2. Ina binder-lock, in combination, a pair of telescoping members, andan oscillatory pawl or dog pivotally attached to one of said members andhaving a portion thereof adapted to engage a cooperating portion of saidmember to lock said pawl in operative position.

3. Ina binder-lock, in combination, a pair of telescoping members, oneof said members havinga'serrated surface, and anoscillatory pawl or dogcarried by one of said members and having a portion thereof serrated andadapted'to engage said serrated surface and also having a portionthereof adapted to engage a cooperating portion of said member to locksaid pawl in operative position.

4. In a binder-lock, in combination, a' air of telescoping members, oneof said mem ers having a threaded surface, and an oscillatory pawl ordog carried by one of said members and having a portion thereof adaptedto engage said threaded surface and also having a portion'thereofadapted to engage a'cooperating portion of said member to lock said pawlin operative position.

5. Ina binder, the combination of a pair of telescoping members, one ofsaid members having a slot therein, and an oscillatory pawl or dogpositioned in said slot and adapted to engage a wall thereof to locksaid pawl in position to prevent the separation of said telescopingmembers.

6. Ina binder, the combination of a pair of telescoping members, one ofsaid members havinga slot therein, and an oscillatory pawl or dogadapted to engage a wall of said slot to lock said pawl in position toprevent the sepa-- I ration of said telescoping members and also adaptedto engage a wall of said slot to limit the movement thereof whenreversed.

i r 2 5 7. In a binder, the combination of a pair of telescopingmembers, one of said members pawl in position to prevent the separationof said telescoping members.

8. In a binder, the combination of a pair of clamping members. a posthaving a slot at the lower end thereof, an oscillatory pawl or dogpivotally attached to said post in said slot and having a portionthereof adapted to engage the inner surface of a casing and having aportion thereof adapted to engage a wall of said slot to lock the samein position, a casing secured to the other of said clamping members andadapted to telescope over said post, substantially as described.

9. In a binder, the combination of a pair of clamping members, a postattached to one of said clamping members, an oscillatory pawl or dogpivotally attached to said post having a portion thereof adapted toengage the'inner surface of a casing and a portion thereof flattened toengage a wall of said post to lock the same in Y osition, a casingsecured to the other of said clamping members and ada ted to telescopeover said post substantial y as described.

10. In a binder, the combination of a pair of clamping members, the postattached to one of said clamping members, an oscillatory pawl or doghaving a serrated surface pivotally attached to said post having aportion thereof adapted to engage the inner surface of a casing and aportion thereof adapted to engage a wall of said post and to be heldthereby in an operative position when the clamping members are in oneposition and adapted to drop into an inoperative position when theclamping members are reversed in position, substantially as described.

11. In a binder, the combination of a pair of clamping members, a posthaving a slot at inner surface of a casing when the members are in oneposition and to drop out of engagement when said members are reversed inposition, a casing secured to the'other of said clamping members andadapted to telescope over said post, substantially as described.

12. In a binder, the combination of a pair of clamping members, a posthaving a slot at the lower end thereof adapted to carry a pawl or dogtherein and having the walls thereof adapted to form stops to limit themovement of said pawl or dog, an oscillatory pawl or do having aserrated surface pivotally at taf hed to said post in said slot andadapted to be held by one of said stop-walls in such a position thatsaid pawl will engage the inner surface of a casing when the members arein one position and to drop out of engagement against the other of saidstop-walls when said members are reversed in position, a casing securedto the other of said clamping members and adapted to telescope over saidpost, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 16th day of June, A. D. 1905.

FREDERICK A. CLEVELAND.

Witnesses:

JNo. R. WILDMAN, LEwIs J. DOOLITTLE.

